Given the fact that the F - P - F angle in PF₃ is close to 90 ° , the orbitals used by phosphorous to make the P - F bonds are:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The F-P-F angle being close to 90° suggests that the orbitals used by phosphorus in forming P-F bonds are primarily p orbitals. This is because p orbitals are oriented at right angles (90°) to each other, which aligns with the observed bond angle. Other hybrid orbitals (like sp, sp^2, sp^3) would result in bond angles larger than 90° due to the hybridization involving s orbitals, which have a different spatial orientation compared to p orbitals.

Given the Fact That the F - P - F